Colombo, Sep 5 (IANS): The Maldives has signed the United Nations High Seas Treaty, also known as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).

Maldives Permanent Representative to the UN Ali Naseer Mohamed signed the agreement on behalf of the country, according to a post by Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim on social media platform X on Wednesday.

The treaty aims to promote equity and fairness, address environmental degradation, combat climate change, encourage sustainability, and prevent biodiversity loss in international waters, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ibrahim described the signing as a historic breakthrough and a significant milestone in the conservation and sustainable use of Maldivian ocean resources.

The Maldives is the 92nd UN member state to sign the treaty, according to local media reports.

In a separate post on X, Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer emphasized that the treaty's signing reflects President Mohamed Muizzu's strong commitment to protecting ocean resources.

The cabinet decided to sign the treaty on February 11, and the parliament approved the decision on May 14, local media reported.